South Africa's National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 2026-20235 (draft NBSAP)

South Africa is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, meaning it is home to an enormous variety of plants, animals, insects, and natural habitats found nowhere else on earth. Governments are expected to have formal plans in place that guide how they protect and manage this natural heritage over time. The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) is the national government department responsible for overseeing this work. The current draft being published now is a new strategy that will guide the country's biodiversity efforts for the ten-year period from 2026 to 2035, replacing or updating whatever framework was in place before it.

This plan affects a very wide range of people and organisations across South Africa. Government departments at national, provincial, and local level will need to align their work with whatever the final plan sets out. Environmental organisations, conservation bodies, and nature reserves will be expected to operate within its framework. Industries that interact directly with natural resources — such as agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining, and tourism — will be touched by the priorities and commitments the plan establishes. Researchers and scientists working in fields related to ecology and natural systems will be guided by it. Importantly, ordinary South African citizens are also affected, because the health of biodiversity underpins things like clean water, productive soil, food security, and protection from natural disasters — all of which affect everyday life.

The DFFE has published a draft version of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) for the period 2026 to 2035 and is inviting members of the public and stakeholders to submit comments on it before the plan is finalised. The public participation process opened on 5 August 2026, and all written submissions must be received no later than Friday, 4 September 2026. Comments must be emailed to Ms Malepo Phoshoko at nbsapcomments@dffe.gov.za. Anyone who has questions or needs more information before submitting can contact Ms Phoshoko directly at MSPhoshoko@dffe.gov.za or by phone at 066 420 0215. The full government notice and the draft plan itself are available for download so that people can read it before commenting.

Biodiversity — the variety of life in our natural environment — is not just an environmental concern; it is the foundation of South Africa's food, water, and economic security. Healthy ecosystems filter our water, pollinate our crops, protect our coastlines, and support the livelihoods of millions of people in farming, fishing, and tourism. A strong, well-designed ten-year plan can set meaningful targets, direct funding, and hold government and industry accountable for protecting these systems. A weak or poorly thought-through plan can allow continued destruction of natural habitats, extinction of species, and long-term damage that is extremely difficult or impossible to reverse.

This public comment period is the moment when ordinary South Africans, community groups, farmers, fishing communities, environmental organisations, and businesses can influence what goes into the final plan. Once the comment window closes on 4 September 2026 and the plan is adopted, it will guide government decisions and spending for a full decade. People who depend on healthy land, rivers, or oceans for their livelihoods have a particular reason to engage now, while the plan can still be shaped.